The Association of Convenience Stores has attacked proposals to introduce a tobacco register for retailers ahead of a debate on the Public Health Bill in the National Assembly for Wales due later today.  If the bill is passed, it will create a national Tobacco Retail Register, which is aimed both at enabling local authorities to target guidance more effectively and at reducing sales of tobacco…

Tobacco company JTI, which produces the Benson & Hedges, Silk Cut and Camel brands, among others, is offering retailers the chance to win 500 training packages to help deal with the problem of under-age sales. This is in addition to the 50 training packages the company had previously announced. The greatly expanded offer is in response to high demand from retailers. Winners of the competition…

The soaring popularity of craft beer and e-cigarettes has been recognised by the Office for National Statistics, which added them to the virtual shopping basket it uses to measure UK inflation. Every year the ONS alters the basket to keep pace with changing spending habits. The statisticians decided to include craft beer for 2015 because “speciality beers and ales are currently extremely fashionable”. They added…

Retailers, lawyers and the tobacco industry have condemned the Government’s decision to introduce plain packaging on cigarettes across the UK next year. Yesterday 367 MPs voted in favour of the move while 113 voted against, following a long-running battle between the industry and the health lobby since the government’s original move to standardise packaging in 2011. Speaking on behalf of thousands of retailers, James Lowman,…

The tobacco industry claims criminal gangs will be rubbing their hands with glee at the news that the government has announced a pre-election vote on plain cigarette packs. Public health minister Jane Ellison announced a free vote for MPs ahead of the May general election, calling plain packaging a “proportionate and justified response” because of the health risks associated with smoking. But tobacco firms called…

Health campaigners have attacked the new raft of e-cigarette ads for making smoking seem sexy. Tobacco ads have been banned for years, but new law changes have allowed e-cigarette brands to run TV and billboard ads as they are deemed less harmful to health. Producer VIP started a TV ad campaign this week. Deborah Arnott, chief executive of anti-smoking charity Ash, said: “Vaping is safer…

Cigarette brand Marlboro has launched its first roll-your-own product. The brand, which claims to have been the world’s number one tobacco brand since 1972, has released Marlboro Gold Original rolling tobacco. It comes in a triple-layered tactile pouch and has an rrp of £4.40 for 12.5g and £6.90 for 20g, with gummed rolling papers included. The product is the first of Marlboro’s to be distributed…